Three hunters sparked outrage in Nova Scotia after a shop posted photos of the trio celebrating with their kill — which turned out to be a rare, culturally significant “spirit moose.”

The white bull moose is sacred to Mi’kmaq First Nations.

The photos, posted to Hnatiuk’s Hunting and Fishing’s Facebook page, show the three hunters posing gleefully around the hanging carcass after their Cape Breton Highlands trip.

“Big thanks,” the page administrator wrote after posting the photos. Two posts later, after a heated debate among commenters, the store thanked “DNR and Chief Bob Gloade for calling us today.

“Chief Bob was able to share the significance of the spirit moose with me and some of the ways in which our business and the hunters could help to bring peaceful closure.” The hunters are co-operating with the First Nations group and the store is preparing the hide to use in Mi’kmaq ceremonies, store owner Jim Hnatiuk said.

The sacred animal travelled through Gloade’s community last Thursday while strapped to a trailer hitched to a pickup truck. Mr. Gloade, who is the leader of the Millbrook First Nations in Nova Scotia, said the animal represents “a messenger or a link to the Creator” for the Mi’kmaq.

As he looked at the photos of the dead moose, he grew increasingly frustrated at the “lack of respect” it showed, he said.

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“I could classify it more as disheartening to see something like this, and see this particular animal being displayed and promoted as a trophy as opposed to something like significant and spiritual,” Mr. Gloade said Tuesday.

“When I was chatting with them after, they had no idea at all that the moose was a spirit moose,” Mr. Hnatiuk said, “or something that the natives protected, or wanted protected, or had a connection with.”

The small hunting party consisted of a father, son and family friend, Hnatiuk said. They brought in the moose’s head to have it mounted.

“They were proud of the moose and everything else: anybody who shoots a moose should be,” Mr. Hnatiuk said.

Mr. Hnatiuk and the three hunters have prepared the moose hyde for a Mi’kmaq “sweat” ceremony, which will take place over four days starting Oct. 17.